Transfer news: Wes Hoolahan pleads with Norwich to let him go as Aston Villa lie in waiting

Former Canneries boss eying a deal for want-away winger

Wes Hoolahan pleads with Norwich to let him go as Aston Villa lie in waiting (Getty Images)

Norwich City winger Wes Hoolahan has pleaded with the East Anglia club to allow him to leave as former manager Paul Lambert grows frustrated with the pace of proceedings.

The Aston Villa boss wants to take 31-year-old to the Midlands in the hope that he will help them ease away from the threat of relegation.

The Villians are currently in tenth place in the Premier League and six points clear of the bottom three.

Hoolahan is upset that he has lost his starting place in Chris Hughton’s starting eleven, but the club are insisting that he will not be sold to a divisional rival.

“The last couple of months, I’ve not been playing as much as I would have liked,” Hoolahan said.

“I’ve been at Norwich for five-and-a-half years and I have the utmost respect for the fans and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the club. But I feel my time here has now run its course and I need a new challenge.

“At my age, I need to be playing regular first-team football and that is not happening at Norwich. There have been times this season when I’ve not even been included in the squad and the majority of the time I have been on the bench.

Nothing has really been explained to me. Obviously, the club signed a lot of new players in the summer and the change of formation probably doesn’t suit me. I want a new challenge and a fresh start.”

Hoolahan intended to leave Carrow Road on amicable terms, but felt it necessary to hand in an official transfer request after talks showed little progress.

“It’s a shame it has got to this,” he added.

“I tried to do things sensibly and quietly because I’ve not been involved whatsoever. But I was told the club do not want to sell me.

I don’t really know what will happen next, hopefully there will be more conversations to resolve the matter. There has not been any big row or anything like that. The club know my wishes and that is as far as it has gone.”